fake teacher recs - what should i do?

Applying to College
1

<p>I remember a similar thread a while back, about someone lying about something on their app and this person knew and wanted to know if he should turn it in...well, now I have the same problem. </p>

<p>My acquaintance (who I hate, but he likes to consider me his friend) got into Yale this year. Our school had a whole big deal about it, and everyone was going to him for advice about next year. I must admit, I was curious to know. as they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. anyway, people went as far as to ask him what teachers he used, thinking they must be the best rec writers and can revive the dead (let's just say he wasnt the best student, but he was ranked 12). He mentioned two names, which I thought was odd, because he told me something entirely different to me early on in the year.</p>

<p>I confronted him and he just said, "Oh, I faked them." very nonchalantly. </p>

<p>should i go to the proper authorities (the Yale God?) Its not even revenge for hating this person, just a matter of integrity. I don't even know how he even faked them, but all they have to do is contact the teachers and he'll get rescinded for sure. this is probably a question with an obvious answer, but its still a backstabbing thing to do...</p>

2

<p>If you are rock bottom sure that he faked the recommendations, I think you should tell Yale.
I know that there will be those who'll say that you should stand back and let karma catch up with him, but I say that by forging the reccs, he took a spot that could have gone --and still could go -- to someone who deserved it, so he needs to be held accountable.</p>

<p>And as far as I'm concerned, he's the backstabber, not you.</p>

3

<p>In a way, my concern would be more with the teachers and less with Yale. I mean, if <em>I</em> was one of those teachers I believe I'd have an absolute right to know this happened. That is a student being fraudulent about the teachers' professional opinion. Not sure what you should do about it, but that's my first reaction to reading your post. Is there a way they can be informed without you feeling petty and vindictive. Actually, I'm not sure your own feelings of pettiness are even the point. More important than that is for them to know someone passed off a forgery in their name. If they want to contact Yale about it, or the school counseling office or whatever, that is their perogative.</p>

4

<p>Think of it this way: by forging those recommendations, he may have taken away the spot of a more deserving individual. Is that right? No.</p>

5

<p>I agree that you should report this student. Contact all 4 teachers that you heard him mention, and tell them what you heard. As I've said on other "cheating" threads, if there are no consequences for cheating, then why should anyone submit a legitimate application?</p>

6

<p>Here, I think that it is absolutely imperative that you at least let your GC and the counselors know. Colleges build up rapports with high schools. This system is built on trust. If a GC told a candidate to apply RD knowing that he was accepted ED, and the college finds out, the reputation of the high school takes a severe blow and the trust and relationship between the college and school falters.</p>

<p>If for any reason this comes out, the teachers, the GC, and possibly the school will be in disrepute unless the problem is addressed NOW. This isn't a matter of faking an EC or lying about an SAT score or AP test. This is much more serious because it involves the integrity of faculty members at the school.</p>

<p>Please do something immediately.</p>

7

<p>You really should do something about it, that's pretty much terrible.</p>

8

<p>This isn't a matter of snitching anymore. This is beyond serious.</p>

<p>Either contact Yale or your school's counselors/authorities immediately. Yale starts soon.</p>

9

<p>Wow. I just googled "Yale Honor Code." I figured that I would respond to OP's question by quoting the honor code and drawing an analogy between cheating on admission and cheating on exams. What I found was a series of "hits" which discussed rampant cheating at Yale and a debate about WHETHER to adopt an honor code. So I have to amend what I was going to say. It appears that your friend and Yale might be a good fit for one another. </p>

<p>What I was going to say is to let the honor code be your guide. Though Yale apparently does not, many schools have them. Typically they require you to confront the person who has cheated in some fashion. If they don't do the right thing, you have to turn them in. If you don't, you are considered complicit and in violation of the HC yourself.</p>

<p>So differ a bit from the other posts. I think you have an obligation to confront your friend and demand that he reveal his cheating. I think you have an obligation to tell him that if he does not reveal his cheating, you have no choice but to do so yourself. In this instance, I understand it would not be your word against his; Yale would know what he has submitted, and the teachers would know whether they wrote what he submitted. </p>

<p>Moments like these define us. Good luck.</p>

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<p>^ Good point. Confronting him yourself is a good option. However, if he is as crafty as he seems, don't let him get away with it. I would amass any evidence that you have against him (I hope there is something, if only the teacher's opinions), and meet with him right before you have a chance to talk to the teachers or GC. That way, there is no layover time where he could pull a fast one or get away with it.</p>

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<p>wow thats just....
low</p>

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<p>"So differ a bit from the other posts. I think you have an obligation to confront your friend and demand that he reveal his cheating. I think you have an obligation to tell him that if he does not reveal his cheating, you have no choice but to do so yourself. "</p>

<p>I believe that would lead to the "friend's" doing all sorts of mean things to the OP.</p>

<p>I think there's no chance that the "friend" will reveal his own dishonesty. What's likely, is the "friend" will either say he was lying about forging the letters or will attempt to do something to prevent the OP's talking about what the student did. </p>

<p>The OP is under no obligation to confront the friend. I think the OP should either let the teachers know or should let Yale know. And otherwise, the OP should not talk about this because the so-called friend could find out about what the OP is planning, and that could be dangerous for the OP.</p>

13

<p>^Yes. In any case, do not talk about this to anyone except the GC and teachers. </p>

<p>I agree with NSM, contrarily to what I said earlier. I really wouldn't confront him unless it's literally last-minute, i.e. "Turn yourself in NOW because I'm in front of the GC's office." Giving him time or information is just giving him opportunities to weasel out of this.</p>

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<p>I would not recommend confronting the cheating student. Someone this dishonest is likely to retaliate against you if they know you are involved. If it were me, i would initially contact all teachers by anonymous email, give the details of what I know, and explain my concerns about disclosing my identity. but offering to come in and talk to them about it if desired. This is the type of cheating that does not require your identity because the cheating can be verified with documents alone.</p>

15

<p>Don't tell the the friend that you're turning him in under any circumstance -- even in front of the GC's office. Trust me, people like that retaliate -- big time. There also would be some students and other people who will turn against you if they know that you told about that guy's forgery. This could make your life miserable as they'd be blaming you for ruining his life instead of realizing that his forgeries were what caused his losing a Yale admission.</p>

<p>It is amazing to me how many people will support others who cheat their way into opportunities.</p>

<p>More than likely, he has been telling other people about the forgeries, so if you turn him in, he won't know who turned him in. Unfortunately, however, given how people act, unless you turn him in, it's unlikely that anyone else will.</p>

16

<p>oops, ive been gone for a bit lol. thanks for the comments.</p>

<p>I feel stupid b/c i knew for like a month now, but I was just going to let it go as school is not even in session and hes leaving probably in like a week now...I'll definitely turn him in.</p>

<p>I would feel terrible though if i packing ready to go and like "Rescinded for fraud. denied."...............j/k he deserves it =)</p>

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<p>wow, what a bunch of sneaky rats in this thread. I like the "don't confront him... contact teachers with anonymous emails" LOL</p>

<p>if you have no proof of him doing this, don't do anything. ask him about it again and see if he was serious. you could act like you wanted to do the same thing to get him to open up about it if you really want to take the sneaky route.</p>

<p>what this kid did was wrong, but don't let your crusade for justice bite you in the ass. this kid may or may not have gotten into yale (probably would have) without faked recs (if they were faked), but if the fake recs let him in that isn't fair. but it wouldn't be fair to you to be known as "that guy (or girl)" who screwed over the one kid the school sent to yale in how long</p>

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<p>^ Take NSM's advice over mine. Don't tell him at all. Whether you should do it anonymously or not, I don't know. I would personally do it in person because it would be much more efficient (and in my opinion, credible) that way, but doing it anonymously would also be fine because the proof is actually held by other people: The teachers who didn't actually write the recommendations. Doing it anonymously seems to have no drawbacks other than maybe a lack of total efficiency.</p>

<p>"if you have no proof of him doing this, don't do anything. ask him about it again and see if he was serious. you could act like you wanted to do the same thing to get him to open up about it if you really want to take the sneaky route."</p>

<p>This is stupid advice. He doesn't need to have proof himself. How about this: </p>

<p>"Dear blahblah (teachers and GC),</p>

<p>I am student with blahblahblah, and I have reason to believe (he told me in person) that he forged his recommendations. I heard him telling students that blahblah and blahblah wrote the recommendations, but before he had told me that blahblah and blahblah did. When I asked why he had said different names, he told me that he had simply forged them.</p>

<p>I am not sure whether or not this is true. However, I did want to bring it to your attention in order to preserve the integrity of the admissions office and the process as a whole. I hope that he was simply joking, but if he wasn't, then I'm glad I brought this to your notice. It is important that the recommendations be an accurate description of the student, so I wanted to make sure that at least two of you actually wrote them." </p>

<p>It's not at all a final draft. But see? It's non-confrontational, and not straight-out accusatory. The proof is with the teachers.</p>

<p>"what this kid did was wrong, but don't let your crusade for justice bite you in the ass. this kid may or may not have gotten into yale (probably would have) without faked recs (if they were faked), but if the fake recs let him in that isn't fair." </p>

<p>It doesn't matter. Lying or producing fraudulent documents is against the contract you agree to when you fill out the Common App (and any application, generally). Even if he had gotten in without the forged recs, this guy lied and violated the terms. THAT is the significant issue here.</p>

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<p>"wow, what a bunch of sneaky rats in this thread....but it wouldn't be fair to you to be known as "that guy (or girl)" who screwed over the one kid the school sent to yale in how long"</p>

<p>This is why not to go public with what you're doing. As I mentioned, there will be plenty of people (including some whose perspective would surprise you) who'll somehow blame you -- seeing you as the "sneaky rat" -- instead of understanding that the guy's lack of ethics are what got him into trouble.</p>

<p>There is the chance that your friend wasn't serious, but if he wasn't serious, the teachers will know when you tell them what he said. If they really did write the reccs, no problem. Meanwhile, he's a fool if he's lying about something so important.</p>

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<p>I was probably a bit harsh... it just goes against my sense of ethics to not confront the guy and remain anonymous... it's like not taking responsibility for your actions because there will be no fallout since it's anonymous.</p>